McNown, Farris have same rights as non-athletes

Published: Monday, March 1, 1999

Monday, March 1, 1999

SPORTS: Students often leave school early to pursue career; ethnicity, politics not an issue

By Scott Bishoff

Scott Kurashige's article ("Winners never quit," Viewpoint, Feb. 24) was just another example of turning athletics into a political forum to cry foul about the perceived injustices of a system that allows athletes to leave school early to pursue their dreams.

His first argument, berating Cade McNown and Kris Farris for leaving school early, is an old and tired complaint. If I were offered a chance to drop out of school and forgo law school to immediately join a top firm and be trained, all the while making millions of dollars, I would jump at the chance.

Furthermore, our society regularly trots out success stories of young scientists or computer geniuses who leave school for academic research and discover cures or develop new technological advances. Everywhere we turn, we hear about self-made millionaires who never even finished high school, yet we put down athletes for doing the exact same thing.

For Kurashige to assert that this is a racial issue, however, is ludicrous. I will more than allow someone to debate me on the topic of leaving school early, as I admit there are pros and cons; but to bring race into his discussion is plain irresponsible.

African American athletes, such as Kobe Bryant and Stephon Marbury, and white athletes, such as McNown, both have equal opportunities to leave school early. Many do, race notwithstanding.

This issue is strictly about money, and the desire for riches exists in us all, regardless of the color of our skin. Apparently, Kurashige only reads The L.A. Times when it suits his purpose, for I have seen great articles this year on DeShaun Foster, Brendan Ayanbedejo and Ryan Roques. His assertion that UCLA is only touting academics with regards to white athletes is unfounded and dangerous.

I will not argue that the stream of athletes leaving college early may not hurt them in the long run, but several advantages exist in their decisions.

Using athletics, however, as a forum to discuss affirmative action is another example of propping up sports programs to debate academic issues. If Kurashige were so interested in proving UCLA's negligence in its admittance of African American students, I would much rather have seen an article detailing admissions statistics for the entire school than just for the football team. Leave sports alone, and let them remain the entertainment they were meant to be.

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